<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Orchids, Peonies, Sunflowers, Chrysanthemums, Buddy &amp; Vespa, Vespa &amp; Buddy by pleasesupplymewithyourwahoos</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25879714">Orchids, Peonies, Sunflowers, Chrysanthemums, Buddy &amp; Vespa, Vespa &amp; Buddy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/pleasesupplymewithyourwahoos/pseuds/pleasesupplymewithyourwahoos'>pleasesupplymewithyourwahoos</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Juno Steel and the Hilarious Case of the Meddling High Schoolers [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Penumbra Podcast</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Teachers, Angst, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, General Dumbassery, I should stop now enjoy the fic!, I think?, Other, WHY AM I STILL TAGGING THIS, all my problems are caused by a bitch ass lil lesbian soooo, idk if it even counts, it's kind of a prequel to 'it's not that complicated'?, it's like the vesbud origin story, it's the bonus chapter because I haven't finished the last chapter yet, look I'm a simple sapphic let me have this, normal lesbians, oblivious lesbians, so like, yes I'm a lesbian yes I'm lesbophobic we exist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:41:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,963</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25879714</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/pleasesupplymewithyourwahoos/pseuds/pleasesupplymewithyourwahoos</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>They’d always been a team, Buddy and Vespa, Vespa, and Buddy. She and Buddy had been attached at the hip for so long, maybe it was inevitable that they would come crashing together.</p><p>-</p><p>Vespa had dealt with all types of people in her life. She’d grown up in a rough neighborhood, taken up a teaching job, robbed a couple of banks, (not in that order), at this point, she honestly thought nothing could surprise her.</p><p>Then Buddy Aurinko started bringing her flowers.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Buddy Aurinko &amp; Vespa Ilkay &amp; Peter Nureyev &amp; Rita &amp; Jet Sikuliaq &amp; Juno Steel, Buddy Aurinko/Vespa Ilkay, Juno Steel &amp; Vespa (Penumbra Podcast), Minor or Background Relationship(s), Peter Nureyev/Juno Steel, Vespa Ilkay &amp; Jet Sikuliaq, if you squint</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Juno Steel and the Hilarious Case of the Meddling High Schoolers [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1877974</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Orchids, Peonies, Sunflowers, Chrysanthemums, Buddy &amp; Vespa, Vespa &amp; Buddy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is the bonus chapter from 'its not that complicated', but I'll be deleting that when I post the last chapter, so i'm making it it's own work! Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Vespa had dealt with all types of people in her life. She’d grown up in a rough neighborhood, taken up a teaching job, robbed a couple banks, (not in that order), at this point, she honestly thought nothing could surprise her.</p><p> </p><p>Then Buddy Aurinko started bringing her flowers.</p><p> </p><p>It wasn’t so weird at first, they’d been colleagues for years, friends even longer, heck they’d practically adopted 4 young adults together. On Monday’s she’d bring orchids, on Tuesday it’d be peonies, on Wednesdays a single sunflower, and so on for months and months. It wasn’t so weird to bring your friends flowers, right?</p><p> </p><p>“I do not think it is strange, Vespa,” Jet said, calm as ever, taking another bite out of his sandwich. “Buddy is a very affectionate person, perhaps she is expressing this affection through flowers.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, c’mon Jet!” Juno cut in, practically draping himself across the table. “When was the last time Buddy brought you or me flowers?”</p><p> </p><p>“Shut it, kid.” Vespa moaned, glaring at her intern. It’d barely been a few months since Juno and Peter had started interning with Buddy, and somehow they’d already made themselves at home in their group. “You’re too young to understand this shit.”</p><p> </p><p>“What’s not to understand about flowers? That’s romantic as hell!”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry, doesn’t Nureyev bring you flowers on Fridays?” Vespa shot back.</p><p> </p><p>“I- That’s-!” Juno sputtered for a few seconds, and Vespa caught at least 3 ‘platonic’s and 5 ‘dahlias aren’t romantic, necessarily!’s, before Juno declared, “It’s completely different!”</p><p> </p><p>“What? You think Pete’s trying to tell you he’s going to betray you?” Vespa cackled, practically seeing smoke rise from Juno’s ears.</p><p> </p><p>“Be that as it may,” Jet interrupted, as Vespa took a sip of her water, “I do believe that Buddy is, what’s that expression? Ah, yes, ‘get into your pants’.”</p><p> </p><p>Juno laughed, loud and long, as Vespa choked and spat out her water.</p><p> </p><p>“Jet!”</p><p> </p><p>“What?” Is that not the term?” To anyone else, Jet looked about the same, stoic and steadfast as ever. But to Vespa, oh Vespa knew. Jet was enjoying torturing her just as much as Juno.</p><p> </p><p>“You know it’s not like that!” She cried, indignant, “Buddy doesn’t-!”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t what, Vespa darling?”</p><p> </p><p>Vespa practically jumped out of her seat. She’d been so caught up in her conversation, she hadn’t noticed Buddy walk up behind her.</p><p> </p><p>“Buddy!” She practically shrieked.</p><p> </p><p>“Buddy!” Juno exclaimed, beaming.</p><p> </p><p>“Buddy.” Jet motioned for him to sit between him and Vespa.</p><p> </p><p>“Lovely to see you all as per usual.” Buddy smiled at Juno and Jet, before turning to Vespa, and, holy shit, either Vespa was just really gay, or Buddy was glowing. “Vespa.”</p><p> </p><p>She pulled a small bouquet of chrysanthemums, doing a little bow as she presented them to Vespa.</p><p> </p><p>“Flowers, for the lovely lady.” Buddy smirked, “Or for her office at least.”</p><p> </p><p>Yeah, it was official, Vespa was just very, very, gay.</p><p> </p><p>“Well,” Juno cleared his throat after a few seconds of silence. “As lovely as it’s been chatting with all of you, I have to go check up on Rita and Nureyev.”</p><p> </p><p>“You think they’ve finished patching up the Ruby 7 so soon?” Jet asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Nope, but…” Juno clenched his fist, “I don’t know how exactly, but I just know that  Nureyev is doing something dumb to that car.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, then,” Buddy smiled, that beautiful, elegant yet coy smile of hers… “You should get going… Maybe Jet can help you out, and Vespa and I could take a walk, or enjoy our lunch together?”</p><p> </p><p>Jet simply huffed and got up to follow Juno, leaving Buddy to turn, still smiling, expectantly to Vespa, who was seemingly rendered incapable of forming a coherent sentence. She somehow managed to string together something about ‘forms to file’ and ‘late for her shift’ before she ran off, hoping that Buddy hadn’t noticed the stark blush that was spreading across her face.</p><p> </p><p>She walked back to the health office, and stared at the flowers long and hard as she put them in a vase. Maybe Juno and Jet had a point, she hoped they did. They’d always been a team, Buddy and Vespa, Vespa and Buddy. She and Buddy had been attached at the hip for so long, maybe it was inevitable that they would come crashing together. But why now? Why her?</p><p> </p><p>Vespa sighed. That was the question, wasn’t it? Why her… Women like Buddy, well, they didn’t pay attention to women like Vespa did they? Buddy was everything Vespa wasn’t; elegant, classy, funny, somehow both a league above everyone she knew, and still a woman of the people. Sometimes Vespa thought that Buddy was a universe unto herself, and when she looked into those deep velvet eyes… she couldn’t help getting lost in that far off galaxy swimming in her head.</p><p> </p><p>She pushed Buddy from her mind and got to work. Back to her boring routine, stitch up some kids' wounds, call a parent whose kid had the pox, give out some strepsils, and the whole time, she thought about how much better her life could be, if only she was allowed to have Buddy next to her for every minute of it. She knew it was hopeless, Buddy could have anyone from anywhen she wanted, but hey, a girl could dream?</p><p> </p><p>As the bell chimed at 3:30, Vespa began to pack up her stuff, dreading having to deal with Juno and Pete’s bickering at home, when none other than Buddy Aurinko burst through the door.</p><p> </p><p>“Buddy!”</p><p> </p><p>“Vespa.” All of the humor had been drained from Buddy’s face, she looked as though she was physically in pain. Vespa instinctively ran her eyes over her, checking her for injuries, but… nothing.</p><p> </p><p>“You ok, Bud?” She asked, feeling timid. She hadn’t seen Buddy like this is in some time, looking like every word she spoke was going to rip a little part of her apart.</p><p> </p><p>“Vespa, I-” Buddy took a deep breath. “I’m sorry if I’ve been too forward or too insistent with my affections, it was never my intention to make you uncomfortable and I value our working and… platonic relationship too much to drive you away just because I couldn’t keep it together. I apologize and I hope you forgive me.”</p><p> </p><p>There was an uneasy silence as Vespa tried to process what Buddy had just said.</p><p> </p><p>“I-” She started, before her bewilderment got the better of her, “What the fuck?”</p><p> </p><p>Buddy looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her whole. “I understand that you can’t lo- share my feelings, but must you-?”</p><p> </p><p>“Woah, woah, back up to the ‘affections’ bit?” Vespa frowned, trying to make sense of… whatever was happening.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m apologizing for forcing my affections on you?” Buddy seemed equally confused, “They obviously make you uncomfortable-?”</p><p> </p><p>“What affections? Buddy, you’re not making any sense, are you sure you don’t need to lie down?”</p><p> </p><p>She looked taken aback. “Vespa,” She said, firmly, taking Vespa by the shoulders, “I’m sorry, but have I somehow not made it clear that I’m madly in love with you?”</p><p> </p><p>“I-, you what?” Vespa felt her face going as red as Buddy’s hair, as Buddy stared at her incredulously.</p><p> </p><p>“Why else would you run away from me every time I try to spend time with you?”</p><p> </p><p>“Because I’ve been in love with you for 7 years and spending time with you drives me insane?”</p><p> </p><p>“You what?” Buddy and she were practically yelling at each other now. </p><p> </p><p>“Excuse me, can we go back to the ‘madly in love with me’ bit?” She cried, still half wondering if this was a dream.</p><p> </p><p>“I- I have been bringing you flowers every day for months!” Buddy yelled back, “What did you think that was?”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know!” Vespa gestured frantically, as if that would prove her point, “Gals being pals? What do flowers even mean?”</p><p> </p><p>Buddy seemed to hold back a scream as she pulled out her phone, swiping through pictures of the flowers she had brought Vespa.</p><p> </p><p>“Chrysanthemums? Loyalty! Orchids? Admiration! Peonies? Romance!” She seemed angrier at her phone than she did at Vespa. “Sunflowers? Adoration!”</p><p> </p><p>Vespa stood perfectly still for a few minutes, gears slowly turning in her brain as she stared hopelessly at Buddy, who for once in her life, looked just as broken as Vespa, while somehow, still managing to be just as radiant.</p><p> </p><p>“You…” Vespa began, tears threatening to spill from her eyes at any moment, “You love me?”</p><p> </p><p>Buddy looked like she was also on the verge of tears. “Of course I do, you ridiculous, ridiculous woman. I love you, I’ve loved you from the moment we met, when you tripped over my dress at that gala and immediately joined my robbery. You’re an idiot, and I love you.”</p><p> </p><p>“But-” Vespa was actually sobbing now, and Buddy stepped closer, a mix of hope and fear across her face. “Why me? Buddy, you’re- you’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met and I’m just-”</p><p> </p><p>“Vespa-…” Buddy brought her hands up to cradle her face, gently wiping her tears away.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m just some kid, with a knife and bad hair and no etiquette or sense of fashion, I can’t talk to people, I can’t do anythi-!” Vespa began to rant, but was cut off by a gentle pair of lips on her own.</p><p> </p><p>Buddy’s lips. Buddy, Buddy Aurinko. Buddy Aurinko was kissing her.</p><p> </p><p>She was taken aback at first, but she couldn’t help melting into the kiss, Buddy’s hands holding her hips and back against Vespa’s desk, Vespa wrapping her arms around Buddy’s neck. She’d always imagined that Buddy was as gentle a lover as she was a person, but, oh she’d never been happier to be wrong. Buddy’s love was as deep and as all-encompassing as the woman herself. She kissed Vespa like she was going to fade away at any second, like she was a woman lost in the desert, dying of thirst, and Vespa was an oasis, full of love and ready to give, like that galaxy swirling inside of her eyes, was trying to swallow her whole. Vespa moaned, letting Buddy’s lips guide her own, her soft, oh so soft lips, as Vespa curled her hands through her hair, as if Buddy would disappear if she didn’t take as much as she could get while she could.</p><p> </p><p>“Why you?” Buddy whispered, caressing Vespa’s cheek, as she drew back, “Because you are the bravest, most intelligent, strong, and incredible person I know. You started off with nothing, and look where you are now? You dragged yourself out of hell with nothing but a knife and your brilliant mind, and for years you were one of the most impressive vigilantes in the galaxy. You’re nothing like the stuck up, self-righteous, vain, and shallow people I have to surround myself with, you never hide your feelings, you speak your mind, and you, Vespa?” Buddy choked back a sob, wiping away another of Vespa’s tears, before leaning and kissing Vespa again, small and quick, but somehow lasting an eternity, “Vespa, you’re everything.”</p><p> </p><p>Vespa couldn’t hold it back, openly sobbing, tears running down her face as she and Buddy laughed, bringing their lips together again, as Vespa wrapped her legs around Buddy’s waist and they both went crashing against the ground, all smiles and kisses, in a universe all their own.</p><p> </p><p>“I love you.” Vespa laughed against Buddy’s lips.</p><p> </p><p>“I love you more, my darling, my Vespa.” Buddy spoke like she was taking an oath, a sacred vow, and gods, if Vespa didn’t just fall in love with her all over again…</p><p> </p><p>She smiled against Buddy’s skin, and for a moment, life seemed perfect…</p><p> </p><p>“Oh goddammit, Steel is going to be so smug about this!”</p><p> </p><p>Ok, maybe not… but Buddy was laughing, beautiful and golden, and for now, that was enough.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>come scream with me about the penumbra on tumblr! i'm @ pleasesupplymewithyourwahoos</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>